Abraham Lincoln is considered by many historians to be one
of the United States' greatest presidents. Charles Lindbergh
was another American hero. Is there some connection between
these two men? In Richard Salva's new book, Soul Journey,
he explores the idea that Lindbergh was the reincarnation of
Lincoln, and perhaps this soul may be back again some day.

What first drew your interest in Abraham Lincoln?

Richard Salva: I first became deeply interested in Abraham Lincoln after reading that Paramhansa
Yogananda -- the great master of yoga and author of the spiritual classic,
Autobiography of a Yogi -- had said that Lincoln had been a Himalayan yogi in a past life, and that he was reborn as Charles Lindbergh.

I began at that time to do some preliminary investigations into the connections between the two men and the ancient spiritual science of yoga. Some twenty years later, I made a fuller study, which resulted in my book,
Soul Journey from Lincoln to Lindbergh.

Lincoln is considered the "paranormal president" by many because of Mary Todd's belief in sťances and Spiritualism as well as some of the peculiar events that surrounded President Lincoln's assassination. Do you think Lincoln only tolerated his wife's interest in the occult or was he more of an active participant than history may have led on?

There are conflicting reports related to Lincolnís interest in the paranormal. Some say he was seriously interested in mediums and sťances, others insist his only intention was to expose frauds. I believe the truth includes a little bit of both. If he was confronted with fraud, he exposed it. On the other hand, he was also impressed by phenomena he couldnít explain. And the records show that he experienced both.

Lincoln's name is considered hallowed -- especially in Washington. Many presidents have invoked his name in speeches and memoirs and Lincoln's ghost is of course said to still haunt the White House today. How can we tell the difference between what may be reincarnation and simple inspiration drawn from the giants of our past?

Being inspired by someone and seeking to emulate that person is an admirable quality. Since it is possible for someone to be inspired by their own past
life -- as you say -- then how can one tell the difference between emulation and reincarnation?

The curious thing about Lindbergh is that he showed no special interest in Lincoln. Yet the parallels between him and Lincoln span every aspect of the human condition from the physical to the psychological, social and spiritual. I found close to a thousand such similarities and put the best of them in my book. As a radio personality told me recently, this goes way beyond the realm of coincidence.

How did you draw the connection between Abraham Lincoln and Charles Lindbergh?

I read Yoganandaís statement about their reincarnation connection in a book titled
The Path (authored by Yoganandaís direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda), in the chapter called
"Reincarnation."

How did your background in yoga philosophy affect your research path?

It made it possible for me to discover the hidden yogic connections in the lives and words of Lincoln and Lindbergh. Those spiritual and ethical connections fill the second half of the book. A curious thing is that Lindbergh had the same virtues as Lincoln, and manifested them in almost the same
way -- something most people would not expect.

Furthermore, since reincarnation is an essential aspect of the deeper teachings of yoga, I was already aware of how the subtle principles of karma and rebirth might manifest in these two famous lives.

Do you think this soul has come back again since Lindbergh? Will it come back again?

I canít say if this soul has returned, but I believe it will. There seem to be many loose ends to tie up from the Lindbergh
lifetime -- and a soul is not free from the physical plane until it has reached a very high state of self-realization. From what I can see, this soul is close, but still has a little ways to go to reach that high state. But this is just my impression.

What makes this soul so special, great, and unique?

I believe it is because this soul has seriously focused on applying certain universal spiritual principles, delineated in the second half of my
book -- principles we all can apply to achieve a similar greatness.

All souls are unique and special by nature, but their innate greatness becomes more noticeable when the ego connected with that soul has evolved to the point where it acts in accordance with its own soul nature. Then, we see a Lincoln, a Gandhi, or a Teresa of Avila. But we are all capable of that. And someday we will all manifest it. And when we do, each manifestation will be unique and special.

What are the wider reincarnation implications for the rest of us? How can we find out about our own past lives?

The comparative Lincoln/Lindbergh anecdotes in my book demonstrate subtle principles of karma and reincarnation that affect us all, including that our actions, good or bad, always come back to us; that we reincarnate with friends from the past in order to grow together, and so on. (There are quite a few more, but it would take too long to list them here.)

The best way to uncover our own past lives is to learn to meditate. In meditation, we step back enough from our physical bodies, we learn to see that the body is not the definition of who and what we are. From that place, we can then see other bodies we have temporarily inhabited.

Anyone who purchases a copy of my book from my website (www.LincolnReincarnation.com) will receive a free e-booklet that gives clues to finding their past lives, and instruction in a meditation technique that will help them see their own cycle of reincarnation.

Are there any future projects you're working on?

I have in the works an audio version of Soul Journey, audio and video courses on discovering your past lives, a board game, and future books on reincarnation and other metaphysical subjects.